Nightmares
by NinjaCookieXD
Summary: It has been a few years since the incidences within the game, but has Daniel really recovered yet?


_AN: key to the fonts = _**_this is the notes, _**this is the normal story,_ and this is the dream. *this is the water monster name. __Please enjoy, and review :) Thank you for reading._

**_12__th__ September 1849_**

**_It has been several years since I left that accursed castle._**

**_I still have nightmares about it. Those poor unfortunate souls I was told to torture, those servants that got turned into those horrifying creatures, *the K__aernk__..._**

**_Since that awful time, many a night have I suffered with the most terrible insomnia._**

**_I have tried several potions and concoctions to help but none have sufficed, I have had many counsellors knocking on my door to try and 'help' me, but none believe me. If only they could've seen the horrors beyond those castle walls. Well, I wouldn't wish anybody to see what I saw; it would not make a difference. What has happened, has happened. I just wish I could've done it all differently..._**

Daniel put down his quill and sighed deeply. Running a hand through his matted and unkempt mop of hair, he leaned back in his chair and glanced around before settling his eyes on the four poster bed that was positioned in the corner of the small room he was staying in. Although it looked inviting, and he was so tired from many sleepless nights, Daniel knew that as soon as he closed his eyes the nightmares would engulf him once more.

Instead of submitting himself just yet, he stood and walked over to the huge glass paned window. Looking out, he saw the sun retreating in the sky in the far in the distance beyond a huge forest. He shuddered when looking at the trees, remembering once more the times he had to flee outside of Castle Brennenburg. He flinched at every single movement within his eyesight, his breath coming in short sharp bursts.

'Calm down Daniel!' he tried to console himself, as he did every time he had a panic attack. 'You're not there anymore... its all over... You. Are. Safe!'

He was interrupted by a knocking on the door to his room. Daniel spun round and faced the door, his eyes opened wide with fear and he started to shake and quiver. After hesitating a moment, he slowly crept to the door and opened it a crack. He immediately relaxed a little when he saw it was only the inn keeper.

'C-c-can I h-help you?' Daniel stuttered, holding his right hand with the other to stop it from shaking. The inn keeper adopted a worried look on his face before answering,

'Are you okay sir? I have had guests complain about a screaming coming from earlier but the door was locked...' he trailed off as Daniels eyes narrowed slightly. He hesitated a moment before slowly saying 'I... have been having the most terrible nightmares. I do not know how to stop them so I am sorry for any inconvenience I have caused.' The Inn keeper looked even more concerned at the poor quivering man in front of him and thought a moment.

'Might I suggest a tonic to help you sleep?' Daniel narrowed his eyes further at the man then nodded at him.

'Might as well try it...'

'Okay then, I shall return with it in a moment.' The man disappeared as Daniel waited patiently still with his door barley open in case of an attack. He knew he was being stupid, no-one would attack him here but he still liked to remain sure of his safety.

After a minute had passed the man returned with a glass on a tray and he handed it to Daniel, who had now opened his door a little more to retrieve it.

'Th-thank you' he stuttered, tying to keep his hands from shaking or knocking over the glass and braking it. The inn keeper nodded and bid Daniel goodnight before returning to his own private quarters. Sighing, Daniel closed the door behind him and sat on the edge or the bed. He held the glass in his hands and looked down at it longingly. This wont work, he thought chuckled nervously to himself before placing it on his bedside table.

He sat there for a moment staring out into space before placing his head in his hands and sobbed quietly. He cried for minutes, letting out all the stress, fear and regret he had bottled up inside him, before rubbing his dirty sleeve over his eyes in an attempt to dry them.

Looking up at the glass he sighed and finally gave in. He had to sleep; it was a necessary thing all human being had to do. Reaching up, he clutched the glass in his hands then lifted it up shakily to his lips and swallowed the liquid quickly. He pulled a face the moment it entered his mouth but swallowed, ignoring the sour tasting liquid. He held the glass a moment longer before placing it back where it was on the bedside table, before lying back on the bed and shutting his eyes. It didn't take long before the nightmares found their way to him and engulfed him.

_He was back in Castle Brennenburg, in a room which looked like a study. The wind howled furiously outside, making the huge windows shudder by its dominance. Daniel glanced at the desk which was positioned in front of the window and took note of its contents. A lantern lay on its side with a large jar of oil neatly placed by it. Next to the two objects, a note laid there glowing ominously. Daniel hesitated a moment before picking it up; he'd has this particular nightmare before, numerous times so he knew what to expect. Even thought he'd had this one before, he could never remember what happened when, within the dream, he left the study, although he knew it wasn't good. Holding the note closer to his face he read it slowly,_

**_Help me, oh dear god help me!_**

**_They've killed my husband and now taken my daughter from me, she was all I have left. I have heard it said, and I tell you as I heard it, that they plan to turn us into horrifying beasts. Some have already been taken, and I know my time is coming. I hope someone will save me before it..._**

_The rest of the note had blood on it so Daniel could read the rest. When he placed the note back down a light exploded in the whole room making him go momentarily blind. When his sight returned a moment later, everything in the room was covered in blood and the voices returned to his mind._

'_Why are you doing this Daniel? You're better than this!' a woman's voice rand through his head._

'_I- I don't... Alexander said... he promised!' Daniels own voice stuttered when it was mimicked from the memories._

'_Alexander is nothing but a liar! He's not from this... Ahhhhhhhh!' a loud scream pierced through his head, cutting any other thoughts from his mind, and making him reach down to clutch his knees close to his chest. _

'_Stop it...' Daniel growled, tears threatening to show up. In his mind, He was answered by the woman's voice in his head screaming once more for Daniel to help her._

'_STOP IT!' _

_The light showed up once again and the room returned to its normal state, except the lantern, oil and note were missing from the desk. Daniel slowly let go of his legs and stood before creeping towards the door. Opening it cautiously, he peaked his head around it and gasped. He was now in the Orb chamber, where he last saw the devil himself. His legs moved on their own as Daniel stepped through the door and into the room where it looked exactly as it did when he let it; the 3 pillars lay scattered over the cold stone floor now covered in the bloody puss left behind by the Shadow. Daniel shuddered at the bad memories but continued so he was in front of the Orb holder in the middle of the room. He placed his hand up to it and held it there for a moment before hearing a bone chilling laugh behind him. Shaking, he turned to face the man he feared: Alexander of Brennenburg. _

_His skin had kept its un-deadly appearance, a Smokey grey colour shimmering with pulsating veins with a white tinge to his long wispy hair. His face was covered in scars and wrinkles which were knitted together in a sad but daunting way and his lifeless blue orb-like eyes stared directly at Daniels quivering body as if he was staring right into his soul._

'_Greetings Daniel' His voice sent chills down Daniels spine as he cowered, backing up against the Orb holder and shrinking down to the ground. He covered his head in his hands and clamped his eyes shut tight so as to block Alexander out._

'_You know that wont work, Daniel. I'm still here, and I will have my revenge on you for ruining us!' Alexander floated towards Daniel slowly, his face growing into more of an evil smirk every glide forward. _

'_No...' Daniel moaned as Alexander came closer._

'_Don't hurt me!' Daniels head shot up and his eyes opened wide as Alexander disappeared. He stared up in disbelief as the air space that was previously occupied by Alexander's Ghostly form. That had never happened in his nightmares before... could that potion really have worked a little? He stood, smiling nervously but as he took a step forward he heard a blood chilling howl that shook the whole room. He instantly froze as chains rattled behind the door and he heard a monster-like groan. A moment passed, with Daniels heart beating faster than it ever had, before the door suddenly exploded. Daniel screamed and ran behind the Orb holder, trying to use it as a shield._

_The door took a few hits then exploded apart to reveal the monster beyond. It was exactly how Daniel remembered it; a __horrifyingly disfigured monstrosity with its left hand cut off and replaced with iron claws. Its offset reptile like eyes focused on Daniel with pure bloodlust. It limped toward Daniel at great speed and lifted its metal claw-hand high in the air, poised into a position to strike..._

Daniel sat up in his own bed screaming and covered in sweat. His screams died down and his breathing slowed down. He looked at the glass by the side of his bed, picked it up and threw it at the door, making it smash violently against the wooden frame. Panting, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, hesitating a moment before touching the cool flooring. He glanced over in the general direction of the window and stared out of it. Slowly, he croaked out in a voice that sounded so defeated,

'Will my nightmares ever cease?'


End file.
